TOPIC: Chatty Audiences

OK, so we know the teens are there to socialize and we do one warning then kick out a few "examples" or a row if needed, but how about those gabby adults?? They get SO irate if reminded that others are watching...the kids are at least learning their lessons in manners with us! One time when we were doing film research at an out of town theatre one of our group approached a loud group saying "I'm here to watch this movie. How about you?" Worked like a charm - perhaps the peer pressure angle is it...

It's much harder with adults because kids are at least used to being corrected and admonisjhed.... adults think they can do whatever they feel like. Wonder why some kids are screwy? We just try to handle it completely sensitevly. Sometimes saying.... "I'm sorry to bother you but we had a complaint and could you please quiet down?" will often work. |Of course then there was the Hell's Angel types who smoke cigs, drank beer, shouted and yelled and no one dared come out and tell us there was a debacle underway! Good luck!
Mike Hurleywww.bigscreenbiz.com

The kids who are making noise get warned once then second time they come into the lobby and sit on the bench for 10 min. The third time they leave the movie but are allowed to stay in the lobby. If you come to socialize do it in the lobby not the movie! We've not really figured out what to do about the noisy adults and/or cell phones.grrrrr

I've been known to turn the volume up until they can't hear themselves . . . . but, i'd never admit it. I generally watch them for a few minutes and see what's going on. Sometimes it's seniors that don't realize how loud they're being and i have never had them be rude when asked to keep their voices down. I gerenally start with, "Could I ask you to keep your voice down, please. Other patrons are plotting your death if you don't be quiet." Then i escalate it from there. I always go in ready to toss them out -- most people sense that. I have zero tollerence for cell phones. unless you are a health care professional on-call, if you use a cell phone in my auditorium, i'll make it the most humiliating experience of your life. Yes, even to the point of shutting off the show. Kids I'm even less tolerent of being that i rasied mine and it isn't my job to raise theirs. i run an art house which means the kids we get, no matter how scarly looking, are good kids.

We seldom have a problem with talking from adults, except for one elderly couple that chats all the time whenever they come. I really don't think they realize that people hear them. Usually just a friendly reminder from me does the trick.

Now teenagers are a totally different story. That problem really doesn't exist anymore as they all go to the mall rather then come to my museum, as they call it. However, when then did, and on the occasions that they still do, I have a policy that almost always works. I never throw kids out as parents have threatened to sue me for putting their kids out on the street unprotected. Therefore, what I do is treat them like firstgraders. I show them the reverse side of the ticket where it says that we have the right to determine when and where a patron may sit. I then separate them on opposite sides of the auditorium and tell them that they must remain there for the rest of the show. Within minutes they leave on their own as it's no fun being alone, and I have not put them out. No refunds given either as they made the decision to leave (They don't even ask). Problem solved!

Just a couple of weeks ago I was attending a showing of "Billy Elliot" and at the beginning of the movie the people behind me started gabbing. I turned and asked them if they could be quiet and they told me that I could move. Sooooo I did, up to the lobby and filed a complaint. The manager issued them a warnig and in protest, to who I'm not sure, they got up and left. These were people in their 40's I'd say. You think they would know better.

I tell the little darlings to be quiet or leave. If I have to contact them again, they are told they can use the phone to call their parents on their way out. If they are pre-teen, I make them call their parents and they wait in the lobby til Mom or Dad show up.

The adults only need to see me looking in their direction and they quiet down. Think they are afraid I will call their parents.

And then there's Charley a retarded guy from the local group home who sees every movie we have at least 2 times. Charley will talk to himself and mutter through the whole film. "oooooohhh now that's bad!" "That guys gonna get it." "Unh huh. unh huh." "She's pretty that one is." and so on and so forth. He especially likes melodramas and has a real running commentary going all the time. There is always a large circle of empty seats around him but he is a much loved member of the community. Even if he talks a little during the show.
Mike Hurleywww.bigscreenbiz.com